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Coordinate an On-Boarding Process

THINK BACK for a moment about your first day of work. We hope it was memorable. We hope that your new boss welcomed you, the team made you feel at home, and your e-mail and computer were up and running and ready to go. We hope! However, in our work with organizations, we have found that the on-boarding process is often an overlooked and haphazard affair. The one-day organizational new-employee training may be a little better, but we imagine the dark rooms, PowerPoint slides, and talking heads did little to energize, excite, and acclimate you to your actual department.

Helping transition an individual to your department and your organization is an important process. First impressions are lasting impressions. We have all had internships or even started a job where the new employer seemed unprepared, disinterested, or even annoyed by the inconvenience of bringing us up to speed. What a horrible message to send to a new employee. The coordination of an on-boarding process is crucial to not only the culture of your department but to the acclimation of your new team member. So whether it is a summer intern or a full-time employee, do not take this process lightly.

Here are some thoughts for a successful on-boarding process. First, be sure all the “stuff” is taken care of. This may include, but is not limited to, business cards, computer, phone line, e-mail address, and cell phone for starters. In our opinion, the second most important item is the process of relationship building. New team members must be given the time to meet others and begin building meaningful relationships. By doing so, you are displaying your commitment to a team atmosphere. Next, be sure that you or the person in charge of the on-boarding process spends extra time to get to know the new team member and provides some of the one-on-one mentorship. Also, it is important to clearly outline expectations, standards, and even some of the departmental nuances that one needs to know to be successful. Finally, be sure that there is ongoing support, development, and coaching.